Jil Sander, often referred to as the “Queen of Less,” began her career as a fashion editor at the German magazine Petra, before opening her first boutique in Hamburg in 1967, at just 24 years old. It was a space that stocked not only her own early creations but also pieces by the likes of Thierry Mugler and Sonia Rykiel. By 1968, Sander officially launched her namesake label, setting the foundation for her now iconic minimalist aesthetic. Her early forays into Paris fashion in the mid-’70s were far from successful, but she persisted, and by the late ’80s, the quiet elegance of her minimalist collections had resonated with a global audience, propelling the brand into the public sphere via the Frankfurt stock exchange in 1989.
The late ’90s saw a dramatic shift when the Prada Group acquired a majority stake in the Jil Sander brand. Sander stayed on briefly, but clashes with Prada‘s Patrizio Bertelli led to her abrupt exit in 2000. She returned in 2003, only to leave once more a year later, following continued tensions. Despite the back-and-forth, Sander remained a significant force in the fashion industry, cementing her influence with her collaboration with Uniqlo in 2009. The +J line for Uniqlo, aimed at bringing her streamlined sophistication to a wider audience, was a hit, making its way through stores in Asia and eventually New York.
In 2012, after an eight-year hiatus, Sander returned to her namesake label, succeeding Raf Simons, who had steered the brand since 2005. Her return, however, was short-lived—just three seasons—before she stepped away again, this time citing personal reasons. Since then, the house has seen various creative hands at its helm, most notably the duo of Luke and Lucie Meier, who took over in 2017. Under their direction, the brand expanded with Jil Sander+, an exploration of clothing for life beyond urban environments, debuting during Milan Design Week 2019. Their tenure has embraced the brand’s minimal heritage while injecting a sense of warmth and adaptability, ensuring Jil Sander remains firmly in the now.
